Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Mike Fiers took a perfect game into the
seventh inning on Tuesday and the Milwaukee Brewers hung on to edge the
Cincinnati Reds, 3-1, in the middle installment of a three-game series at
Miller Park.

Fiers (6-4) threw 76 of his 113 pitches for strikes, allowed just one run and
a trio of hits while fanning seven and walking none over eight innings to win
his third consecutive start. Jim Henderson was perfect in the ninth inning to
secure his first career save.

"It's always in my head," Fiers said of a potential perfect game. "I was
thinking I wasn't walking anyone and I didn't want to give up any hits. In the
sixth and seventh, the thought came into my head a little more, but I was just
trying to keep us in the game."

Aramis Ramirez belted a two-run home run in the opening inning and Jean Segura
collected his first major league RBI with a ground out in the seventh for
the Brewers, who have won two straight on the heels of a three-game slide.

Zack Cozart ripped a double off Fiers leading off the seventh to break up the
perfect game and Brandon Phillips got the lone RBI on a sacrifice fly for the
NL Central-leading Reds, who have lost three straight.

Johnny Cueto (14-6) pitched well in defeat, allowing three runs on six hits
over seven innings with nine strikeouts, but it wasn't enough as the righty
lost for the first time since July 3.

Milwaukee struck for a pair of runs in its first at-bat. Ryan Braun was at
first courtesy of a fielder's choice, and Ramirez then got a fastball from
Cueto and deposited it into the stands in left.

Cozart's two-bagger to left-center started the seventh against Fiers and ended
any chance of the franchise's first perfect game and second no-hitter. Cozart
was able to advance to second on a fly out to right by Drew Stubbs before
scoring on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Phillips.

Rickie Weeks doubled to deep center to begin the Milwaukee eighth and went to
third on a groundout by Jonathan Lucroy before scampering home on Segura's
groundout to third.

"The problem was their pitcher, he pitched a great game." Reds manager Dusty
Baker said. "That was one of the best games pitched against us in a long time.
There's not a lot we could do. He's very deceptive with his delivery."

Game Notes

Prior to Tuesday's loss, the Reds had won seven of the 10 games between the
clubs this season...Also on Tuesday, the Reds announced that they will
officially retire 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Barry Larkin's No. 11 in a pre-
game ceremony on August 25...The Reds finished 0-for-2 with runners in scoring
position and left just two on base, while the Brewers went 0-for-4 with RISP
and left five on base.